Method of and apparatus for preparing pieces of fabric for the application of ornamental designs



N 1966 E. DER ESTEPHANIAN 3,235,480

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING PIECES OF FABRIC FOR THE APPLICATION OF ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1965 R O W A E V m ESTEPHAN DER ESTEPHANiAN FiG.3

N 15, 1966 E. DER ESTEPHANIAN 3,

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING PIECES OF FABRIC FOR THE APPLICATION OF ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1965 INVENTOR.

ESTEPHAN DER ESTEPHANIAN M, ATTO RN EYS United States Patent 3,285,480 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING FIECES F FABRIC FOR THE APPLICATION OF ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS Estephan Der Estephanian, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to Estebar, Inc., Manchester, N.H., a corporation of New Hampshire Filed June 8, 1965, Ser. No. 462,218 3 Claims. (Cl. 223-61) This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for holding pieces of fabric stretched flat with a predetermined contour preparatory to the application of ornamental designs such as by silk screen printing. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of and apparatus for stretching to a flat condition with predetermined contours the front and rear knitted panels for a womans swimsuit which has been given three-dimensional forms to fit the human figure. Such panels, particularly the front panel which is made with bulges for breast cups, must be held in a two-dimensional form for the application of ornamental designs, and skew stretching which would distort the ornamental design must be avoided.

To support a pair of front and rear panels which are to be made into a womans swimsuit, light metal frames are provided, these frames having the contours desired for the respective panels. The frames are of such a size that the panels must be stretched to be mounted thereon, the stretch being suflicien-t to reduce the three-dimensional portions to flatness. For convenience in handling, the frames are light in weight, being single elongated elements shaped according to the contours of the panels. To avoid corrosion, the frames are preferably made of zinc or the like. Since a panel when stretched or such a frame exerts considerable tension thereon, the frame is supported against distortion while the pane-l is being applied thereto, This is done by means of a template having the prescribed contour for the panel. The inner edges of the frame bear against the edges of the template so that the proper shape of the frame is maintained. The frame is similarly supported on the table to which it is transferred for the application of the ornamental color designs.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference maybe had to the following description thereof, and to the drawings, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a table on which a pair of pane-l frames are mounted to receive swimsuit panels;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, on a larger scale;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one of the frames illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a table adapted to support panel frames with panels thereon flush with the surface of the table;

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4, on a larger scale; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective View of the other of the pair of frames shown in FIGURE 1.

In the commercial production of knitted swimsuits for women, ornamental designs are often desirable for the front and rear pane-ls which have been knitted. One or both of these panels may be made with a three-dimensional surface contour for a better fit on the human figure. If designs are to be applied to such panels, it is important that the panels be evenly stretched to a flat, two-dimensional surface contour for that purpose. To avoid mismatching of front and rear panels, the panels are treated in pairs. Frames are provided to support the panels individually, these frames each being a single Patented Nov. 15, 1966 ice elongated member in the form of a closed curve, the outer periphery of the member having the prescribed shape for the panel which is to be mounted thereon. The frames may be of a corrosion-resistant metal such as zinc which can readily be cast to the desired shape. A frame 10 of this description for a rear panel of a swimsuit is illustrated in FIGURE 3. A companion frame 12 for a front panel is illustrated in FIGURE 6. Around the outer periphery of each frame is a series of sharp, outwardly projecting .pins 14. For lightness and ease of handling, the frames 10, 12 are preferably made too thin to have inherent rigidity as a whole. It is therefore necessary to provide means for supporting them in their correct shapes while panels are being mounted thereon.

For this purpose a table 16 may be provided to support a pair of frames 10, 12. On the table, and preferably fixed thereon, are templates 18 and 20 which are shaped to fit within the respective frames 10 and 12 when the latter are correctly shaped to receive swimsuit panels. When a pair of frames 10 and 12 are mounted on the table 16 and fitted about the respective templates 18 and 20, a pair of panels 22, 24 are mounted thereon by catching the margins on the pins 14. To facilitate correct application of the panels to the frames, each panel is provided with a pair of marks 26 (FIG- URE 4) at its narrowest diameter, and corresponding marks 28 are provided on the table 16 opposite the narrowest diameter of each of the templates. By first catching the margin of a panel at the marks 26 on pins 14 opposite the mark-s 28, the remainder of the margin of the panel can then be caught on the rest of the pins 14 so as to stretch the panel evenly on the frame with little or no skew distortion. The dimensions of the frames are such as to require sufficient stretching of the knitted panels to flatten them. Since the inner sides of the frames 10, 12 bear against the edges of the corresponding templates 18, 20 when the frames are mounted on the table, the frames cannot be distorted by tensions imposed thereon during the process of mounting the panels thereon.

When the mounting of the panels on the frames has been completed, the frames with the panels thereon are lifted from the table 16 and transferred to another table 30 in the top of which are slots 32 and 34 shaped to receive respectively the frames 10 and 12 so that the panels will be bearing directly on the table top when the frames are placed in the slots as indicated in FIGURE 5. Recesses 36 are also provided in the table top to accommodate hooks 38 on the frames which are used to support the frames on carriages (not shown) for transportation from the table 16 to the table 30. When the panels are on the table 30, they are ready for the application of ornamental design by the Well-known silk screen process or any other convenient means. For quantity production the table 30 may be made to accommodate several pairs of panels at a time,

I claim:

1. A method of preparing a piece of fabric for the application of ornamental designs thereto, which comprises placing an outline frame about a template fitted to give it inner support, stretching the fabric over the frame to a flat condition with the prescribed contour, transferring the frame and fabric to a table having a slot therein shaped to the contour of the frame, and lowering the frame into said slot whereby the stretched fabric is disposed directly on the table surface and the frame is supported in the prescribed shape.

2. A method of preparing the front and rear knitted swimsuit panels for the application of ornamental designs thereto, which comprises placing outline frames for the respective panels about correspondingly shaped templates on a table, stretching said panels over the respective frames, transferring the frames with the panels thereon to a table having therein slots shaped to the contours of he frames, and lowering said frames into the respective slots whereby the stretched panels bear directly on the table top.

3. Apparatus for preparing pieces of fabric for the application thereto of ornamental designs, which comprises a frame consisting of a single elongated member in the form of a closed curve with its exterior contour conforming to the prescribed shape of the fabric piece to be mounted thereon, said member having a series of pointed pins projecting outward therefrom, and means engageable by said member to support said member against distortion by tension of fabric when stretched thereon, said 4 means comprising a support for said member and a template rising from said support, said template having a contour shaped to fit within said member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,136 4/1914 Tucker et a l. 38102.2 1,200,052 10/1916 Trover 38102.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 30,746 of 1897 Great Britain.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF PREPARING A PIECE OF FABRIC FOR THE APPLICATION OF ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS THERETO, WHICH COMPRISES PLACING AN OUTLINE FRAME ABOUT A TEMPLATE FITTED TO GIVE IT INNER SUPPORT, STRETCHING THE FABRIC OVER THE FRAME TO A FLAT CONDITION WITH THE PRESCRIBED CONTOUR, TRANSFERRING THE FRAME AND FABRIC TO A TABLE HAVING A SLOT THEREIN SHAPED TO THE CONTOUR OF THE FRAME, AND LOWERING THE FRAME INTO SAID SLOT WHEREBY THE STRETCHED FABRIC IS DISPOSED DIRECTLY ON THE TABLE SURFACE AND THE FRAME IS SUPPORTED IN THE PRESCRIBED SHAPE. 